Prospective students
Graduate Students
Why Graduate School?
Before applying, ask yourself "Why do I want to go to graduate school?" If you are interested in a career in ecology or biology, an advanced degree can open many doors. If you want to be the boss, go for a PhD. If you want to work as a technician or consultant, then a MS might be all you need. There are lots of great advice pages for prospective graduate students. Mohommad Noor's Grad 101 class has a great summary.
Why Utah State and the Baker Lab?
Research and education in ecology and aquatic science are very strong at Utah State University. There are many students and faculty with whom you will interact in substantive ways. If you can envision yourself mucking around streams as well as spending time in the lab, then the Baker Lab is the place for you. The best way to learn to be a professional scientist is to act like one. In the Baker Lab, students are treated as colleagues. Students who are bright, independent, creative, and collaborative do well in my lab.
What Support is Available?
Science is expensive. I generally will not take on students if we can't fund their research. Students in my lab are supported through some combination of research assistantship, teaching assistantship, and fellowships. I encourage students to apply for fellowships like the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and EPA STAR Fellowship as well as internal fellowships. Students affiliated with the Ecology Center can also receive support for research and travel to conferences.
How Do I Apply?
If you are interested in joining the Baker Lab, please send me an email with the following information:
Why Graduate School?
Before applying, ask yourself "Why do I want to go to graduate school?" If you are interested in a career in ecology or biology, an advanced degree can open many doors. If you want to be the boss, go for a PhD. If you want to work as a technician or consultant, then a MS might be all you need. There are lots of great advice pages for prospective graduate students. Mohommad Noor's Grad 101 class has a great summary.
Why Utah State and the Baker Lab?
Research and education in ecology and aquatic science are very strong at Utah State University. There are many students and faculty with whom you will interact in substantive ways. If you can envision yourself mucking around streams as well as spending time in the lab, then the Baker Lab is the place for you. The best way to learn to be a professional scientist is to act like one. In the Baker Lab, students are treated as colleagues. Students who are bright, independent, creative, and collaborative do well in my lab.
What Support is Available?
Science is expensive. I generally will not take on students if we can't fund their research. Students in my lab are supported through some combination of research assistantship, teaching assistantship, and fellowships. I encourage students to apply for fellowships like the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and EPA STAR Fellowship as well as internal fellowships. Students affiliated with the Ecology Center can also receive support for research and travel to conferences.
How Do I Apply?
If you are interested in joining the Baker Lab, please send me an email with the following information:
- A short statement of why you want to go to graduate school, a description of your research interests and how they fit in with the Baker Lab
- A description of past research experience including any publications or presentations
- Your GPA and GRE scores
Undergraduate Students
Why Undergraduate Research?
Research is a fundamental part of Utah State University’s mission to foster learning through discovery and engagement. By participating in undergraduate research, you will have the opportunity to work directly with graduate students and faculty and in so doing advance your skill set in ways far beyond the classroom. For example, you will get hands-on training with various scientific equipment, learn data analysis, communicate scientific results, improve writing skills and much much more!
What is Biogeochemistry?
Biogeochemistry is the scientific study of how biological and geochemical processes affect elemental cycles. Biogeochemistry is important because many of the biogeochemical cycles of Earth have been significantly altered by human activity. In the Baker Lab, we study the elemental cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, which are directly related to water quality. For example too much nitrogen or phosphorus leads to water with too much algae, which can cause depleted oxygen levels and fish kills.
What are the Undergraduate Research opportunities in Aquatic Biogeochemistry?
Did you ever think you could get a job mucking around outside? During the summer, we spend much of our time doing field work. We have done field work all around the country including in Grand Teton National Park, Indiana and Michigan (a.k.a. Michiana), the Oregon Cascades and Willamette Valley, and the Sawtooth Mountain Recreation Area in central Idaho. Sites closer to home include streams in the Cache Valley and around Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Front. Our field work includes observations, sample collections and manipulative experiments to understand nutrient cycles related to water quality. We typically hire several undergraduates to help in the field, and many design and conduct their own independent research through the National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates program. During the school year much of our time is spent analyzing samples collected during summer. We have equipment to measure dissolved gases like carbon dioxide, as well as nutrients like dissolved organic carbon, nitrate, and phosphate. Undergraduates have the opportunity to learn how to operate this analytical equipment, and how to analyze and interpret the data that result.
What are the Benefits?
You gain hands-on experience in science that can’t be done in the classroom.
You learn how to operate expensive analytical equipment that can improve your resume for jobs later on.
You can get paid to hike around outside collecting mud and water!
You can present your research at scientific meetings.
You develop close relationships with graduate students and faculty to improve your chances of admission to graduate school. You can publish your research in scientific journals. How Do I Get Involved? Just ask!! No experience is required to start working in the Baker Lab. Most often undergraduates start as Work Study Employees (available through the Financial Aid office), regular Student Employees, or volunteers before signing up for Independent Study or Undergraduate Research credits.
Why Undergraduate Research?
Research is a fundamental part of Utah State University’s mission to foster learning through discovery and engagement. By participating in undergraduate research, you will have the opportunity to work directly with graduate students and faculty and in so doing advance your skill set in ways far beyond the classroom. For example, you will get hands-on training with various scientific equipment, learn data analysis, communicate scientific results, improve writing skills and much much more!
What is Biogeochemistry?
Biogeochemistry is the scientific study of how biological and geochemical processes affect elemental cycles. Biogeochemistry is important because many of the biogeochemical cycles of Earth have been significantly altered by human activity. In the Baker Lab, we study the elemental cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, which are directly related to water quality. For example too much nitrogen or phosphorus leads to water with too much algae, which can cause depleted oxygen levels and fish kills.
What are the Undergraduate Research opportunities in Aquatic Biogeochemistry?
Did you ever think you could get a job mucking around outside? During the summer, we spend much of our time doing field work. We have done field work all around the country including in Grand Teton National Park, Indiana and Michigan (a.k.a. Michiana), the Oregon Cascades and Willamette Valley, and the Sawtooth Mountain Recreation Area in central Idaho. Sites closer to home include streams in the Cache Valley and around Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Front. Our field work includes observations, sample collections and manipulative experiments to understand nutrient cycles related to water quality. We typically hire several undergraduates to help in the field, and many design and conduct their own independent research through the National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates program. During the school year much of our time is spent analyzing samples collected during summer. We have equipment to measure dissolved gases like carbon dioxide, as well as nutrients like dissolved organic carbon, nitrate, and phosphate. Undergraduates have the opportunity to learn how to operate this analytical equipment, and how to analyze and interpret the data that result.
What are the Benefits?
You gain hands-on experience in science that can’t be done in the classroom.
You learn how to operate expensive analytical equipment that can improve your resume for jobs later on.
You can get paid to hike around outside collecting mud and water!
You can present your research at scientific meetings.
You develop close relationships with graduate students and faculty to improve your chances of admission to graduate school. You can publish your research in scientific journals. How Do I Get Involved? Just ask!! No experience is required to start working in the Baker Lab. Most often undergraduates start as Work Study Employees (available through the Financial Aid office), regular Student Employees, or volunteers before signing up for Independent Study or Undergraduate Research credits.